There was a queue for petrol when Chris Edwards drove past the Woolworths fuel outlet at Green Hills yesterday, so he decided to fill up after he had done his shopping.
But when he returned, the price of LPG had jumped by 13 cents from 66.9 cents per litre to 79.9 cents per litre.
So he kept driving.
And the East Maitland resident has vowed never to return to a Woolworths petrol bowser, nor a supermarket.
Mr Edwards said he had been paying about 63 cents or 65 cents per litre recently, before he reported the hike late yesterday.
“You don’t mind the price changing by five or six cents a litre, but this was 13 cents,” he said.
“And it was the same gas – there wasn’t a tanker delivery.”
Outraged, Mr Edwards sought an explanation.
“I rang Woolworths fuel in Sydney to get them to justify the 13 cent increase and they told me someone would get back to me within five days,” he said.
“They call that customer service.
“I do usually go to the Woolworths petrol station for convenience, but I won’t be filling up there again.
“I’m just asking people to sit back and think for five minutes about what they’re really saving [with petrol discounts] if they’re jacking the price to start with.”
While Mr Edwards’ complaint was levelled at Woolworths, whether there had been a similar price rise at other fuel retailers in Maitland was not known when the Mercury went to press.
A Woolworths spokesperson said that due to the nature of the fuel industry, prices did fluctuate.
“The recent increase in the price of LPG reflects an increase in the wholesale price,” the spokesperson said.
“We review our prices daily and always try to remain competitive, where we can, to offer our customers good value.”
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